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The intensive summer course to train Basque teachers is usually one of the first activities of every year in Basque clubs in Argentina.  In 2018, it was the Chacabuco Guillermo Larregui Basque Club’s turn to host the event sponsored by FEVA, for the first time in 20 years.  The director of Euskara Munduan, Kinku Zinkunegi, shared his positive evaluation of the Barnetegi, as well as shared news about changes in the program. 

Chacabuco, Argentina.   The Guillermo Larregui Basque Club was the site of the 2018 Summer Barnetegi that took place January 13-20.  The classes and meals were held at the Euskal Etxea where Zinkunegi also gave a talk.

The classes were similar to those at prior Barnetegis, meaning practicing the linguistic points learned over the last three months in online classes.  Although this time, there was something different. In the words of Zinkunegi, “In this Barnetegi, more than in others, the goal of promoting orality in the students’ productions was prioritized.  That is why they carried out a large number of presentations, worked on two plays that they later performed, and practiced oral test models of level B1 (common European framework of reference for languages).  The average level of the group is very good, they are already seeing contents from level B2 that allows them to live completely in Basque, from the first day to the last day of the course,” he said.

As everyone knows, the Student-professors that are part of the Euskara Munduan program work all year long online on outlined goals.  In 2018 and 2019, they will held three Barnetegis more before they take HABE’s exams.  In Kinku’s words, “in this phase, and as is planned, we have a year and a half left, that means the plan will conclude at the end of July 2019.  There will then be three more face-to-face meetings, where we hope students will achieve level B2, and some may even surpass that.  It is a big challenge, but when evaluating this group, we think it is entirely possible.  At the end of this process they will take a HABE accreditation exam, in Buenos Aires in 2019.

Talk at the Euskal Etxea

During his stay in Chacabuco, Kinku Zinkunegi also gave a talk “The Current Situation of Euskera” attended by club members as well asother members of the local community.  The event was very well-attended and at it ended with everyone having dinner together.  “It was a good event for our club members, and neighbors, as well as the participants in the Barnetegi,” he said.  “I should also note that the organizers at Guillemro Larregui were excellent.  I want to express my sincerest thanks to the club’s board of directors and to everyone who worked to welcome us so warmly.  They did great work in every sense, but above all I want to stress how well we were treated.  Thanks this, work becomes a pleasure.”

Changes in the Management of Euskara Munduan

Zinkunegi also told EuskalKultura.com that there have been some changes in the Management of the Euskara Munduan Program.  The program is now part of the Etxepare Basque Institute, as of January 1, 2018.  “All that HABE has left to do now, is manage the grants for 2017/2018, which will conclude on September 30^th when everything will then become the Etxepare Institute’s responsibly.